Baby survives, parents die in crash

Cape Times / 9 January 2014, 1:37pm

Jason Felix and Francesca Villette

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A crime scene expert takes pictures of the scene on 7th street in Linden where 3 men tried to hijack a woman after a chase with the police that started in Robindale.
190208. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

Cape Town - A couple died in an accident on the N1 near Leeu-Gamka, while their year-old baby escaped unharmed.

Provincial traffic spokesman Jacques Mostert said a minibus taxi had crashed into a trailer and then collided with the couple’s car on Wednesday.

Their baby was placed in the care of social workers, Mostert said. The minibus driver survived, but it could not be established whether he had been injured.

Mostert did not know where the couple were from, but said they were travelling south, towards Cape Town.

The accident occurred a day after nine security guards employed by Vizual Security died and eight others were injured when the minibus taxi in which they were travelling crashed into the back of a stationary truck on the N1 near De Doorns.

One of the injured guards, Nceba Makwetha, who is to be married in March, is fighting for his life in hospital.

He was taken by ambulance to Worcester Hospital and transferred to Tygerberg Hospital.

EMS spokesman Mark van der Heever said Makwetha had surgery and remained in intensive care on Wednesday.

“The patient had severe pressure on his brain. Doctors tried to relieve some of the pressure. He is in a critical condition.”

Makwetha’s fiancée, Asanda Malgas, did not want to comment on his condition, but said the couple were planning to get married in March.

Cassie Carstens, the director of Vizual Security, a Cape Town company, said: “We have never lost so many employees at one time. They are sorely missed. We are doing our best to deal with the situation.”

Staff from Cape Town had been called in to perform the duties of those who died, Carstens said. This was a temporary measure until people from Worcester could be recruited.

*Transport Minister Dipuo Peters is expected to release the festive season road accident figures on Thursday.